Mark Ghaly, M.D., MPH, California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS) secretary, has extended California’s indoor mask mandate by another full month. The masking requirement intended to combat the coronavirus pandemic now runs through February 15. While citing a recent surge in the state’s positivity rate to over 21 percent, Ghaly also noted data on […]
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Fed-OSHA seeks suggestions for strengthening VPP
Fed-OSHA is holding a stakeholder meeting July 17, in Washington, D.C., to discuss the future direction of its Voluntary Protection Programs. The agency’s aim is to “reshape VPP so that it continues to represent safety and health excellence, leverages partner resources, further recognizes the successes of long-term participants, and supports smart program growth.” Fed-OSHA is […]
Curated Content Articles of Interest from Around the Web
- OSHA launched a new initiative focused on enhancing enforcement and providing compliance assistance to protect workers in the engineered stone fabrication and installation industries.
- This initiative will focus enforcement efforts on industry employers to make sure they’re following required safety standards and providing workers with the protections required to keep them healthy.
- It establishes procedures for prioritizing federal OSHA inspections to identify and ensure prompt abatement of hazards in covered industries where workers face exposure to high levels of silica dust.
- OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health identify silica dust exposure as a health hazard for workers involved in manufacturing, finishing, and installing natural and manufactured stone, which includes man-made, engineered artificial or cultured types.
Read more - An OSHA investigation found that a Caney contractor could have prevented a trench collapse that fatally injured a project manager at a McAlester work site in May 2023.
- The project manager and other workers employed by Rocking L Dozer and Land Management LLC were putting gravel rock around a newly replaced 24-inch sewer line in a 10-foot-deep excavation when the trench collapsed.
- OSHA determined that — by not following federal safety standards for trenching and excavation work — the company exposed its employees to trench hazards.
- The agency has proposed $82,149 in penalties.
Read more - OSHA found a Pennsylvania manufacturer of steel containers exposed employees to a wide range of safety and health hazards at its Milton facility.
- An investigation at Custom Container Solutions led to citations for two willful, three repeat, 23 serious and two other-than-serious violations.
- OSHA found several deficiencies that exposed employees to potential harm.
- Custom Container Solutions faces $484,401 in proposed OSHA penalties.
Read more - A Toledo, Ohio-based company faces $154,696 in federal fines relating to allegations it willfully failed to protect employees from fall hazards in July at a North Baltimore job site.
- Employees of steel and precast concrete erection provider Henry Gurtzweiler are alleged to have been exposed to 36-foot falls while installing insulation and metal decking, OSHA.
- Employees were not protected from fall hazards by guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, positioning device systems, or fall restraint systems, the safety agency reported.
- The company is contesting the allegations.
Read more
“OSHA Moves to Protect Engineered Stone Industry Employees”
OSHA supplements efforts to address serious workplace danger
Death of project manager leads to fines in Oklahoma
Pennsylvania dumpster company cited
Ohio company faces $154,696 in fines